DPWH helps address joblessness woes; generates 1,839 Oro workers

By BEN BALCE
Staff member .

Duterte administration’s massive infrastructure program, Build Build Build, is expected to generate an average of 1.1 million jobs annually in the medium term, owing to the government’s hefty spending on infrastructure development projects according to Department of Budget and Management (neda) report.

Since it was launched In Cagayan de Oro City, starting January this year, it even helped address the city’s unemployment woes, said  DPWH 2nd District Engineer Anastacio Marundan.

Jobs to be created through the Build Build Build program are mostly associated but are not limited to construction and development, according to Marundan.

“Various infrastructure projects within its area of jurisdiction has been already implemented by   the 2nd District,” said  Marundan.

He said workers from the city were hired in the implementation of the 76 infrastructure projects.

“It’s in pursuant to the Republic Act 6685 that requires private contractors to hire at least 50% of the unskilled and 30% skilled labor requirements from the local population where the awarded project is to be implemented,” he said.

Marundan said these 1,365 workers are locals of Cagayan de Oro City and its neighboring municipalities and provinces within Region X.

Of the 1,389 workers, 503 are skilled workers while the remaining 886 are unskilled workers.

During the beginning of the year, the continuation of the projects from the Calendar Year 2017 was able to generate a total of 417 jobs – with skilled workers accounting for 142 of the said number while the 275 being the unskilled workers.

These numbers are generated from the 20 implemented projects during that month.

Marundan added that newly implemented projects during the month of February added more workers in the infrastructure sector.

The same trend occurred in the following months even up to the month of June 2018.

“These have accumulated to 1,389 in 76 ongoing and finished projects implemented for the past six months,” Marundan explained.

With the emphasis on “Build, Build, Build” program of the administration, Engineer Marundan said  the DPWH CDO 2nd DEO looks forward to more job generations for the locals as it continues its project implementations in the field of construction and maintenance of public infrastructures in its desire to uphold its sworn mission to provide and manage quality infrastructure facilities and services responsive of the needs of the Filipino people in the pursuit of national development objectives.